UOPL1506MZp035

University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law - Summer2015

Alumni News
PACI F I C L AW 35
Robert Lucas, ’80, died at the age of 67
on Jan. 8, 2015, in Sacramento. He operated
his own lobbying business, Lucas
Advocates, for three decades, representing
alliances and companies involved in
energy production and environmental
quality control.
Kenneth Kay, ’80, LL.M. ’85, died at the
age of 58 on May 5, 2014, in Fresno. He
practiced real estate law for many years
and was a published author, political
talk show host and university adjunct
professor.
John Tosney, ’80, died of a heart attack
at the age of 62 on Jan. 11, 2014, while
vacationing in Costa Rica. A well-known
Sacramento attorney, he operated a
practice in bankruptcy law for more than
three decades.
Gerald Deady, ’82, died at the age of
58 on Oct. 15, 2013, in Wilkes-Barre,
Pennsylvania. He was a prominent criminal
defense attorney who once won a
reversal of a death-penalty sentence.
Nancy Hotchkiss Smith, ’82, died after a
long battle with brain cancer at the age
of 57 on Jan. 19, 2015, in Sacramento.
She spent her entire legal career with
Trainor Fairbrook after joining the
prominent real estate firm as its second
employee.
Jeff Corzine, ’84, died at the age of 58
on Jan. 14, 2014, in Folsom. A former
president of the El Dorado County Bar
Association, he was a personal injury
attorney and partner at Adams & Corzine
in Folsom.
Barbara Eckard, ’84, died at the age of
69 on Sept. 16, 2014, in Roseville. She
worked for more than three decades
for the state of California’s Office of
Administrative Law and was involved in
many community organizations.
Anne E. Elbrecht, ’84, died of a brain
tumor at the age of 74 on Sept. 24, 2014,
in Davis. A scholar of Armenian history,
she worked as an attorney for the
California state government for nearly
two decades.
James Meier, ’85, died suddenly at
the age of 58 on Feb. 19, 2015, in
Sacramento. He taught science at two
Waldorf schools for more than 20 years.
Roger Whomes, ’85, died at the age of
58 on Jan. 28, 2014, in Reno, Nevada. He
was a prosecutor in the Washoe County
District Attorney’s Office for 18 years with
a three-year hiatus in private practice.
He later moved to the county Public
Defender’s Office.
Denny Forland, ’86, died from complications
related to pneumonia at the age
of 60 on Dec. 20, 2014, in Sacramento.
A former public defender and criminal
defense attorney, he was a judge of the
Butte County Superior Court bench.
Robert Lucherini, ’86, died at the age
of 58 on May 15, 2014, in Logan, Utah.
He served as a deputy district attorney
for Clark County, Nevada, and was later
a highly regarded criminal defense
attorney.
Kurt Kumli, ’87, died of brain cancer at
the age of 52 on Aug. 2, 2014, in San
Francisco. A nationally recognized
expert on juvenile law and policy, he
was a well-known judge of the Santa
Clara County Superior Court who spent
20 years as a prosecutor before taking
the bench. Surviving family members
include his wife, Sue Gillett, ’87, and
brother Karl Kumli, ’81.
John Gezelius, ’89, died of a heart attack
at the age of 58 on Aug. 2, 2014, in
Orange. A former missile launch commander
in the U.S. Air Force, he was a
longtime probate attorney and specialized
in elder law.
Samantha Spangler, ’89, died after a
long battle with progressive supranuclear
palsy at the age of 49 on April
10, 2014, in Auburn. She was an assistant
U.S. attorney who was honored in 1999
with a Director’s Award from Attorney
General Janet Reno.
Harry Bivens, ’90, died at the age of
60 on Aug. 8, 2014, in Charlotte, North
Carolina. He began his career with
Smith, Currie & Hancock LLP before
founding the Law Offices of Harry R.
Bivens, which specialized in construction
contracts law.
Patricia B. Jennings, ’94, died at the age
of 46 on Sept. 16, 2014, in San Jose. She
practiced law with Henk, Bock, Leonard
& Vega in Sacramento before moving to
the South Bay.
Krysten Hicks, ’05, LL.M. ’06, died after
a long battle with breast cancer at the
age of 34 on Sept. 20, 2014, in Poway.
She practiced municipal law with Meyers
Nave, serving as assistant city attorney
for Citrus Heights, Colusa and Pittsburg.